Compressed air is required to supply pneumatic tools. The air may be supplied by a permanently installed air compression unit or by a portable unit. One such portable unit is a portable air compressor assembly that is mounted on a cart with one wheel and is commonly known as a wheelbarrow-type air compressor or an air compressor wheelbarrow.
Referring to FIG. 4, a prior art wheelbarrow compressor 1 is shown schematically. The wheelbarrow compressor 1 includes a pneumatic wheel 2 on front end 3 of body 4 of wheelbarrow compressor 1 and a pair of spaced-apart cantilevered tubes 5 that extend upwardly and outwardly from rear end 6 of the wheelbarrow compressor 1. The wheelbarrow compressor 1 is powered by an by internal combustion engine 7 which drives a pump 8 that supplies air to a pair of spaced-apart air tanks 9 that serve as part of body 4. The wheelbarrow compressor 1 is moved at the construction site by lifting the rear end 6 of the wheelbarrow compressor 1 by the tubes 5 and rolling it to the desired location. Such wheelbarrow compressors are frequently used by construction crews at construction sites to supply compressed air for air powered tools such as nailers or jackhammers. These portable air wheelbarrow compressors are typically moved from construction site to construction site by a pickup truck. At least two construction workers are typically needed to lift the wheelbarrow compressor onto the truck, one worker lifting each of its ends.
A portable air compressor assembly that may be loaded more easily and/or by only a single worker is desirable.